Eljif Elmas’ importance to North Macedonia highlighted in Ukraine loss

North Macedonia’s loss to Ukraine on Thursday afternoon was the goodbye that no football fan watching Euro 2020 wanted to make.

Igor Angelovski’s men bowed out of the delayed European Championships, having lost both of their opening two group matches – 3-1 to Austria on matchday one and 2-1 to Andriy Shevchenko’s side on matchday two. But one thing is certain; these plucky underdogs have fight, spirit and, undeniably, some quality.

On reflection, Ukraine simply had too much quality for them on the day. North Macedonia put up a good fight but Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko dominated midfield and ran the likes of Stefan Spirovski and Arijan Ademi ragged, while creative, intelligent and, at times, artistic wing and full-back play saw Angelovski’s side struggle to contain the waves of yellow pressure.

Andriy YarmolenkoAndriy Yarmolenko

Andriy Yarmolenko got his second goal of the tournament / Mihai Barbu – Pool/Getty Images

Going forward, though, the Macedonians didn’t lie down and take defeat. But their lack of midfield thrust made it much too difficult to break out and create clear-cut, goalscoring opportunities.

Enis Bardhi, the man tasked with breaking through the Ukraine midfield, played well. In fact, he was North Macedonia’s best performer, often demonstrating a flair, drive and technical ability that sends spectators wild. But it wasn’t enough.

He was alone in that venture far too often, and struggled to link things together when presented with too few options. Things may have turned out differently, however, had 21-year-old Eljif Elmas been utilised in a different way. The Napoli prospect performed fantastically in his nation’s opening match against Austria, showing an almost arrogant nonchalance in everything he created from deep.

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Eljif Elmas against Austria / MARKO DJURICA/Getty Images

Against Ukraine, however, he was deployed as a striker, tasked with adding that quick thrust in an attack that contained 37-year old Goran Pandev. In fairness, Elmas showed a brilliant positional understanding on several occasions and presented an option within the 18-yard box – but that’s not his game.

Had he been allowed to sit in midfield and express himself freely, you’d have to imagine that defence and attack would have been linked in a much more efficient manner and that the sole deep-lying midfielder Taras Stepanenko would’ve been in for a torrid time – instead of the walk in the park he had.

As Zinchenko and Mykola Shaparenko stepped up, he was left isolated in the middle and – while he’s a good player – he’s no N’Golo Kante. Elmas’ edge would’ve been the driving force from deep to really ask questions beyond the opposition midfield, rather than seeing the ball come back their way time after time – especially in the first half.

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Enis Bardhi wasn’t able to outmanoeuvre the Ukraine midfield / DANIEL MIHAILESCU/Getty Images

Elmas’ knack for turning away from opponents and dragging his side upfield would’ve presented Ukraine with a completely different challenge – impressive characteristics that earned him a place among 90min’s Our 21.

North Macedonia may have bowed out of Euro 2020, but they still have one match left to play against heavyweight opponents, Netherlands. With the tension lifted and everyone except the Dutch cheering them on, it’ll be interesting to see what they – and the thrillingly promising Elmas – can produce on the big occasion.

USMNT: World Cup qualifier schedule released

The United States men’s national team journey to the 2022 Qatar World Cup is set. After the conclusion of the second round of qualifiers, Concacaf released the schedule for the octagonal phase. 

The final batch of qualifiers will see the USMNT battling Mexico, Canada, Honduras, Costa Rica and Jamaica for a coveted spot in the world’s biggest international football tournament. Though the dates were predetermined, the countries playing the matches were not. 

This last week determined the last spots in the final round of qualifiers. Canada beat Haiti 3-0  in Chicago to book their place in the Octagon and become one step closer to making their first appearance in the World Cup since 1986. El Salvador stood as the last team to qualify for the final round after defeating St. Kitts & Nevis 4-0 last week and 2-0 in the second leg. 

The eight teams will play two legs for a total of 14 qualifying matches. The top three teams of this final round will qualify directly to the World Cup in Qatar, while the fourth place team travels to the intercontinental playoff in June 2022. In years prior, the final round of qualifiers featured six teams, but this year Concacaf expanded the format to accommodate the suspension of international windows due to Covid-19. While venues are still to be determined, the schedule for the United States men’s national team was revealed.

September 2, 2021: @ El Salvador

September 5, 2021: vs. Canada

September 8, 2021: @ Honduras

October 7, 2021: vs. Jamaica

October 10, 2021: @ Panama

October 13, 2021: vs. Costa Rica

November 12, 2021: vs. Mexico

November 16, 2021: @ Jamaica

January 27, 2022: vs. El Salvador

January 30, 2022: @ Canada

February 2, 2022: vs. Honduras

March 24, 2022: @ Mexico

March 27, 2022: vs. Panama

March 30, 2022: @ Costa Rica

Portugal predicted lineup vs Germany – Euro 2020

Portugal got their Euro 2020 campaign off to the perfect start with a 3-0 victory over Hungary in Budapest, but you’d be hard pressed to find many who wouldn’t agree that the scoreline flattered Fernando Santos’ side.

Pitted in the ‘group of death’ alongside Germany and France, it was imperative that Portugal overcame an enthusiastic and stubborn Hungarian side – and even though they did so in the end, it was not an easy 90 minutes in front of a partizan crowd at the Puskas Arena.

With six minutes off the game left, Portugal hadn’t yet made the breakthrough. But Raphael Guerreiro’s goal set the stage for Cristiano Ronaldo to become the leading scorer in European Championship history, and there will now be confidence heading into a crunch game against Germany.

They lost out to France 1-0 in their opening game of the group stage, meaning Joachim Low’s side should be bang up for blowing Group F wide open. Here, 90min predicts the Portugal side tasked with taking them down.

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Raphael Guerreiro scored Portugal’s opener versus Hungary / Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Rui Patricio (GK) – The experienced stopper is approaching 100 caps for his country, and is usually a reliable performer in big games.

Nelson Semedo (RB) – His ability to get forward often sees him push high up the pitch and overlap down the right. Good crossing ability is mixed in with the occasional lapse in defensive concentration.

Pepe (CB) – Always comfortable with the ball at his feet and proved against Hungary that he’s still up to it physically.

Ruben Dias (CB) – Portugal’s best defender showed the composure and understanding of the game against Hungary that saw him named the Football Writer’s Association player of the year.

Raphael Guerreiro (LB) – Scored the all-important opener against Hungary on Tuesday, and is now a shoo-in starter with Joao Cancelo ruled out of the tournament after a positive COVID test.

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Danilo marshalled the Portugal midfield brilliantly during their opener / ATTILA KISBENEDEK/Getty Images

Danilo (CM) – The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder provides an excellent screen to Portugal’s defence and sweeps up danger frequently. You get the feeling he may be busy.

William Carvalho (CM) – Should probably offer more when in possession but the double pivot of Carvalho and Danilo allows their more talented creative players can flourish.

Bernardo Silva (RW) – Didn’t have the best season domestically and was substituted against Hungary. That said, he possesses enough quality to be a difference-maker on any given day.

Bruno Fernandes (AM) – Probably Portugal’s best player after Cristiano Ronaldo. A dead-ball specialist that has the vision to unlock even the most stubborn of defences.

Diogo Jota (LW)
– Wasted a number of good opportunities in the opener but we’ve seen enough at club level to suggest he was just having an off day.

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Cristiano Ronaldo became the competition’s all time leading scorer on Tuesday / Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo (ST) – The tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer is undroppable and relishes the big occasion. This game is right up his alley.

Euro 2020 could be the tournament to usher in the return of the big man up top

Remember when you couldn’t watch more than ten minutes of a football match without hearing phrases like ‘chuck it in the mixer’ or ‘hit the big man’?

Football’s a totally different beast these days, with managers verging on being obsessed by the theory that teams have to play so-called ‘pretty football’ if they’re to be classed as a good side.

25 years ago you’d have struggled to find a club in England that didn’t employ a target man who was central to their style of play, yet the ploy didn’t translate terribly well onto the international scene.

Players like Chris Sutton and Dion Dublin – two strikers with a Golden Boot each and three Premier League titles between them before you scoff – mustered a combined total of just five England caps, while players you’d class as slightly more intelligent yet less physical like Teddy Sheringham were thriving with the national team.

But could that all be about to change?

The noble target man has become almost extinct over the last few decades, with even lower league teams looking to play with fluid front threes and false nines as opposed to having a focal point to their attack.

Kieffer Moore has been central to Wales' success so farKieffer Moore has been central to Wales' success so far

Kieffer Moore has been central to Wales’ success so far / BSR Agency/Getty Images

International football naturally has a huge bearing on club level football, with players often earning themselves huge moves off the back of a few decent games, and the systems teams adopt also tend to make an impression on club managers.

Euro 2020 may not even have even reached the knockout rounds yet, but the one major difference between this international tournament and so many that have gone before it is the use of the big man up top.

The Netherlands’ Wout Weghorst, Romelu Lukaku (he hasn’t really ’emerged’ so to speak but we’re using him as an example anyway because he’s a forward and he’s massive) and Wales’ Kieffer Moore have all been superb so far this tournament.

All three have opened their account for the competition already and have been key parts of their team’s approach to the games, with Wales in particular utilising Moore’s aerial ability – in both boxes might we add – in their quest to make it out of Group A.

Weghorst has been a key player for his sideWeghorst has been a key player for his side

Weghorst has been a key player for his side / ANP Sport/Getty Images

The Cardiff man may not be the most fashionable of footballers by modern-day standards, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with building your team on solid defensive foundations and then making use of a target man’s qualities to bring others into play.

Moore’s hold-up play and flick-ons have helped alleviate pressure during both of Wales’ two outings so far, while the aforementioned facets of his game have meant the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale have been far more involved than if every time Rob Page’s side cleared the ball it was just picked up by the opposition before launching another wave of attack.

Weghorst has been used in a very similar way in Frank de Boer’s setup. The Netherlands are no longer a squad brimming with forward talent and haphazard defenders, instead they’re quite the opposite with players like Stefan de Vrij and 90min’s Our21 star Matthijs de Ligt providing solidity in the backline.

Without the quality frontline they used to boast the Netherlands aren’t able to maintain possession as easily in the final third and so having a player they can rely upon to keep hold of the ball and drag the team up the pitch is imperative.

Weghorst's aerial ability was huge in the Netherlands' win over UkraineWeghorst's aerial ability was huge in the Netherlands' win over Ukraine

Weghorst’s aerial ability was huge in the Netherlands’ win over Ukraine / ANP Sport/Getty Images

Lumping the ball up to a monster centre-forward so he can maintain possession before laying it off to one of his advancing teammates may not be as pretty in some people’s eyes as teams making 55 passes and still being in their own half, but it’s certainly effective.

If we’ve learned anything from the opening week or so of Euro 2020, it’s that target men still have a huge part to play in the game, and we may well see the return of phrases like ‘chuck it in the mixer’ and ‘hit the big man’ to the English game very soon. Hopefully.

Donny Van de Beek not planning Man Utd exit this summer

Donny Van de Beek’s management have denied reports the player is looking to quit Manchester United less than a year after joining the club from Ajax.

The 24-year-old arrived for a fee of £35m last September and has struggled to hold down a regular place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, with midfield rivals Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes and Fred all earning more opportunities.

VI’s Simon Zwartkruis revealed during the VI EK Live talk show that he recently had a conversation with the player’s agent who strongly denied the rumours.

“He said it was complete bulls**t,” claims Zwartkruis. “There has been a conversation with the trainer about next season. He just has to get fit quickly, so that on day one he is the strong Van de Beek they bought at the time.”

Van de Beek made 19 appearances in the Premier League last season but was only selected in the starting XI four times. He played 15% of United’s total minutes in the English top-flight and despite arriving with plenty of promise, the Dutchman was very much a peripheral figure.

After a difficult season, the Netherlands international was dealt more disappointment when he was ruled out of Euro 2020 through injury. While there has been much speculation regarding a potential move away in recent weeks, it appears it’s nothing more than hot air.

His contract in the north of England runs until 2025 and judging by this latest information, albeit having been passed on through a third party, Van de beek has no intention of giving up on his United dream just yet.

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Van de Beek scored on his Premier League debut / Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images

More often than not, Solskjaer has settled on a double midfield pivot of McTominay and Fred in order to maintain a defensive balance when releasing the shackles from the likes of Fernandes and Pogba. As a result, Van de Beek was left in limbo.

Where he’ll fit into this current set-up remains to be seen, but there appear to be no signs of panic from the player or his camp with regards to his lack of game time so far.